5 hot green building materials for 2013

A classic but low-flow toilet, insulated roof panels, dynamic LED lights top list.

2012 is drawing to a close, and it's time to look toward 2013. Although I am not psychic by any means, I do have a pretty good eye for industry trends. I think that these five new(ish) green building products will be hot in 2013.

Kohler Memoirs Comfort Height Toilet: Low-flow and high-efficiency meet classic design in the form of the Kohler Memoirs Comfort Height Toilet. With homeowners looking for minimalist, but not-too-modern, fixtures, this toilet fits the bill. This toilet should appeal to shoppers seeking industrial-chic and antique-looking on-trend fixtures, while meeting EPA WaterSense standards. I predict plumbers will be installing a lot of these.

Insulfoam HD Composite Roof Insulation: At a competitive price, Insulfoam HD Composite Roof Insulation should be a strong competitor in the roof insulation market. With strong R-values, its sustainable characteristics include: 100 percent recyclable, no formaldehyde or HCFCs, and it can contribute to LEED certification. It is available in various densities, and can be used for new building projects and retrofits.

High Lumen LED Lights by Acuity Brands: The Incito LED open downlight series from Gotham Architectural Lighting offers energy efficiency and solid-state technology. Its versatile dimming capability and variety of lumen packages opens up LED efficiency to a huge variety of building types, from shopping centers to theaters to restaurants.

MBCI Eco-ficient Roofing Panels: Can one roofing panel do it all? These can do it all. These metal roofing panels have high R-values, and qualify as continuous insulation where required by the IECC. They are designed to mitigate thermal drift and their R-values are billed as consistent for 20 years. Green roofers can look forward to working with these roofing panels.

Mowawk Smart Strand Carpets: Renewably sourced ingredients replace petroleum products in Mowhawk Smart Strand Carpets. They are "engineered to perform" — they're stain resistant, and recyclable at their end of the product's life. The manufacturer has reduced its energy use and greenhouse gas emissions while producing a durable and attractive carpet option in super-attractive colors and patterns.